Articles

Another day with lots to read. First up, a fantastic bit of news...

Ashes To Ashes to end after next series by Neil Wilkes
(from Digital Spy)
Of course, an infinitely more positive spin would be "Ashes to Ashes recommissioned", which is the real story here -- they've said for a long time that they had a three-year plan and that would be it. So thank God they've got the final series, because otherwise the damn thing would never've been resolved. The press release quotes also sound highly intriguing:
"Fans have theorised... about who Gene Hunt actually is and what his alternative world really means... Will Alex make it back home, why is she living in this parallel '80s world, what will become of bullish Gene Hunt and will we ever discover what actually happened to Sam Tyler? Viewers will not be left disappointed". Let's hope not.

In other news...

Daniel Craig's James Bond Is Licenced To Chill by Devin Zydel
(from CommanderBond.net)
Topless Daniel Craig as an ice lolly. That's... mad.

DreamWorks get Masi Oka's Defenders by Alex Fletcher
(from Digital Spy)
"The film's plot follows teenagers around the world, who are involved in multiplayer video gaming. The gang, who don't know each other's real personas, are suddenly forced into a real-life adventure and inadvertently become heroes." Interesting.
Ironically, but inevitably, "DreamWorks are developing a video game to be released simultaneously."

Nintendo questions opposition's priorities by Liam Martin
(from Digital Spy)
Fighting talk -- and probably very true.
"[A] Nintendo of America executive said Sony and Microsoft seemed more interested in technical specifications rather than entertaining the public. "What's happening sounds to me a lot like, 'Who's got the prettiest picture? Who's got high-definition? Who has the best processing power?' It sounds like technology, when the consumer wants to be entertained." The comments come after Microsoft announced Project Natal... while Sony revealed its answer to the Wii Remote... "[Nintendo's] focus is, 'How do we take active play and make it entertainment?' And that's what we're going to continue to focus on.""
Quite right too.

Shame this review has become buried, but anyway...

Review of Heroes of the East (1978) by Cal
(from Heroes of the East )
Heroes of the East is one of my favourite blogs on FilmJournal.net, so a review of its namesake is naturally not to be missed.

Say Hello To The iPhone 3G S — “S” Is For Speed by MG Siegler
(from TechCrunch)
All the details on what's in the new iPhone. Personally, I won't be upgrading.

Wes Craven dishes on Scream 4 by Simon Reynolds
(from Digital Spy)
The Scream trilogy a fun series of films, let's hope they don't ruin them.

new review at 100 Films

In Bruges (2008)

It's hilariously funny, much more so than most by-the-numbers ‘comedy’ films can manage... It’s also dark and occasionally tragic though, and in this respect it’s unsurprising that writer/director McDonagh started out as an acclaimed and award-winning playwright, as stage plays mix humour and darkness more frequently (and with wider extremes) than films ever dare to.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 17 new films in the review pipeline at 100 Films, plus two shorts. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

TV

Have I Got News For You
37x07 (5/6/09 edition; uncut repeat)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Lie to Me
1x01 Pilot
Wound up watching this by accident, but it's brilliant, vaguely in the same vein as The Mentalist. Of course, their shared existence is all House's fault (it's similar to that too), but as all three are good shows that's no bad thing. Shame it's on Sky1 though, because I don't get that normally so won't be able to continue watching.

Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow
1x01 Edinburgh
A great lineup for a highly amusing first show, my personal favourite being Stewart Francis. Very similar to Live at the Apollo (well, it's a continuation of sorts, though they've nicked the set design/logo), but has the advantage for packing in more comedians (therefore more variety) and allowing in some new talent. Let's hope every episode can be as good.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Roland Garros 2009
Roger Federer defeated Nadal-beater Robin Söderling in straight sets to win the French Open, the one Grand Slam he had yet to claimed. Equalling all kinds of records in the process, it's becoming pretty hard to deny that Federer's the greatest tennis player ever.

Articles

Lots of interesting stuff today (well, I thought it was interesting), so here goes...

Del Toro: Hobbit casting 'very close' by Tim Parks
(from Digital Spy)
News about forthcoming news? Yep, that's the sort of thing that only happens for the biggest of the big franchises.

Fiona Phillips: 'Leaving GMTV was silly' by Daniel Kilkelly
(from Digital Spy)
Or it could be because she's a truly awful presenter.

Lowest ever live launch ratings for BB by Dan French
(from Digital Spy)
Good.

And in related news...

Michael McIntyre slams Big Brother
(from the Press Association, hosted by Google News)
Go Michael go!

Primeval creator talks finale, future by Neil Wilkes
(from Digital Spy)
Primeval may be of seriously variable quality, but at least they seem to have a plan. On the other hand, they're not very good at executing it.

Sugar 'must choose' between jobs
(from BBC News)
"The Conservatives say Sir Alan Sugar must choose between working for the government and working for the BBC as the star of The Apprentice. They say his new role as an "enterprise tsar" for the government is "completely incompatible" with BBC rules. Sir Alan, who will also be made a lord, denied he was joining the government. "As far as I'm concerned, this is politically neutral. All I want to do is to try and help businesses and enterprise," he told the BBC."

And finally...

Tourist clings to Australia train
(from BBC News)
An incredible story, worth reading in full.

TV

8 Out of 10 Cats
8x01 (5/6/09 edition)
Far (far) from the best panel show on TV, but it has its moments.

Primeval
3x10 Episode 10 [season finale]
Look here for my thoughts on this episode.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Articles

Five Favorite Films with Adult Film Star Sasha Grey by Jen Yamato
(from Rotten Tomatoes)
An incredibly surprising list, all things considered.

Five Favourite Films with Renny Harlin by Orlando Parfitt
(from Rotten Tomatoes)
A surprisingly intelligent list, all things considered. Still not as surprising as the last one, mind. Though I'm not sure anyone's could be.

Where Will Star Trek Boldly Go Next? by Oscar Hillerstrom
(from Rotten Tomatoes)
With Star Trek II an inevitability (or Star Trek XII, if you prefer; or Star Trek XI 2), RT wonders what might be in store. Though not very seriously.

Wish List: 14 Directors and the Video Games They Should Adapt by Alex Vo
(from Rotten Tomatoes)
Again, don't take it too seriously, because, well, it isn't.

Primeval 3x10

Sometimes I genuinely begin to wonder if Primeval even has a writer. This episode in particular displayed no evidence of one on frequent occasions, from characters contradicting themselves between scenes ("there won't be any guards" / "oh, there were no guards!") to unexplainable elements thrown in to provide brief moments of excitement (where did those grey bin bags come from and why were they there?)

But worst of all was the ending -- or 'ending'. It tried to provide a cliffhanger, but with the story so neatly tied up and no final twist to surprise us (despite the preceding 22 episodes containing plenty of elements that could be utilised to create one), the episode simply stopped.

Still, at least one plot point that's spanned all three series has finally been resolved -- good riddance! Though why they bothered I don't know, as most ongoing plot elements in Primeval are conveniently forgotten when they've had enough of them -- Helen's ability to clone soldiers/anything, for just one example, and something that could've been used to provide that twist too.

Personally, I was also surprised that Cutter didn't return -- his death was so brief and so surrounded in elements that could provide a get-out for him, it was disappointing that there was no twist to be revealed. On the other hand, as the majority of Primeval's fanbase seems to have simply accepted his death at face value, I guess the show's operating at the same intelligence level as its audience.

I expect we'll get a fourth series of Primeval. Though, really, is there any need?

TV

Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
16x14 (8/5/09 edition)
Haven't watched Jonathan Ross' show for ages, for no reason other than I never get round to it. Ought to try to change that now.

The Mentalist
1x11 Red John's Friends
Ah episode 11 -- halfway point of a US TV season. What does that mean? Yep, the most arc-plot-focused episode since the first. Pretty good one though. And I bet next week's is an especially light-hearted edition to balance it.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]

Articles

Amazon Unveils Watchmen Blu-ray Exclusive
(from High-Def Digest)
Ooh, that's pretty...

Electronic Arts stages fake protest of game at E3
(from Mail.com)
A somewhat dubious idea, it seems to me. It would never fly over here these days after all the recent controversy over media outlets misleading the public.

Hobbits, monsters and CSI vampires
(from Newsnight Review)
An interview with film director Guillermo Del Toro, mainly covering his forthcoming work. Always worth a read. Tonight's Newsnight Review had a related feature, apparently, as well as several other interesting features by the looks of things. I missed it though, so iPlayer it is!

Articles

BB10 'no housemates' twist revealed by Alex Fletcher
(from Digital Spy)
Don't worry, I'm not about to start covering Big Brother, but this piece is notable for its terribly misleading headline, which makes things sound a lot more intriguing than they actually are.

Kung Fu star Carradine found dead
(from BBC News)
"Kill Bill and Kung Fu star David Carradine has been found dead in a Bangkok hotel room."
Sad, unexpected news. Some places are reporting this as a suspected suicide, but if you read the details it really doesn't sound like one.

TV

Primeval
3x09 Episode 9
In which Surprise Future Lady turns up and starts spouting cliches like there's no tomorrow. Ironically. Then there's the uncomfortable marriage of a light-hearted plot (for the first half of the episode) and a Dark And Serious one (for the second), which they keep trying to pull off and never works. And to top it off, a cheesy final shot of the Team Walking Purposefully to the leader's Motivating Intention Speech while the Dramatic Purposeful Motivating Music sores. Oh dear.
In summary: Primeval's writing really does stink this series.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.

Robin Hood
3x09 A Dangerous Deal
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Articles

Anthony Head: The Buffy spinoff Ripper may still be possible by
(from Sci Fi Wire)
"May" being the operative word. It's a case of "believe it when you see it" -- which I sincerely hope we do.

Outpost Gallifrey & the Doctor Who Forum To Close July 31 by Shaun Lyon
(from Outpost Gallifrey)
Something of a surprise, the closing of the biggest/most popular Doctor Who site/forum. Several years ago the site's owner & creator, Shaun Lyon, had enough of running the place and half handed it on to new people. That made sense -- fair enough if you want to move on, let new people keep it alive -- but this move doesn't, really, which is why it's a surprise. But hey, look, he still wants you to come to his conventions!

Games

Sam & Max: Season One
Episode 1: Culture Shock

I honestly can't remember the last time I played a computer game that wasn't something like Tetris or Solitaire. But I used to love adventure games and I've had this for a while, and with a new Monkey Island (always my favourite series) on its way next month, it's time to get back into the habit. Plus, as I have a Mac these days, I needed to get Windows running on here so I can play the darned thing. And I've managed it, though it's depressingly slow.

As for the game itself, it's a lot of fun -- which bodes well for the new Monkey Island as these are the guys behind that too. I really like this model of gaming -- a series of standalone chapters/episodes released over five or six months -- because it allows the more casual player to dip in and out, or effectively pay in installments, as well as allowing for a variety of stories to be told without the game seeming disjointed. Also, one of the reasons it works here is because each episode is a decent length -- at least, if you go round looking at everything and exploring every conversation path, which I always do because of all the good lines you can find tucked away in them. Certainly, I didn't complete this chapter in one sitting, and assuming they're all the same length that means a decent full-game-length amount of playability across all six chapters.

A success, then, which means I'm even more excited for Tales of Monkey Island...

TV

The Wire
2x12 Port in a Storm [season finale]
So, that was that. Nice to see a clear indication of where the next season will be going. Only two-and-a-half weeks 'til it begins on BBC Two...

Articles

Review of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Blu-ray by James Gray
(from DVD Times)
Informative review of the best (so I'm told) Star Trek film, recently released on Blu-ray.

Review of Up by Clydefro Jones
(from DVD Times)
Gasp in shock and horror as someone writes a review that criticises Pixar! While I don't wholly agree, he does have a point.

Watchmen (R2/UK BD) in July by Dave Foster
(from DVD Times)
An announcement (hurrah!), but a confusing one (boo!)

new review at 100 Films

Watchmen (2009)

With the dubiously-featured UK DVD and Blu-ray releases just announced, it seems about time to add a few of my thoughts to the already-overflowing mix. In doing this I find it impossible to fully divorce myself from the fact that I’m a fan of the book, so can only really view this adaptation from that perspective... But even as a fan, my opinions are not as predetermined as some might think.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 18 new films in the review pipeline at 100 Films, plus two shorts. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

TV

Ashes to Ashes
2x07 Episode Seven
Brilliant episode. A surprising twist, perfectly built across the whole series, and a great performance from Marshall Lancaster, the unsung gem of both Ashes and Life on Mars.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Graham Norton Show
5x12 (28/5/09 edition, uncut repeat) [season finale]
Goodbye for now, Graham. You will be missed.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Eastern Promises (2007)
[#32 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

DVD Extras

Superman II: Restoring the Vision
(from Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut)
How they recreated Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, almost 30 years after it was shot. It's truly amazing how much effort was required to do this.

Resurrecting Jor-El
(from Superman Returns)
Similarly, how they created a new Marlon Brando performance for Superman Returns, using footage shot for Superman and Superman II back in the late '70s.

Articles

Back To Earth DVD Cover Art
and
Documenting the Documentaries
and
Content Confirmed
(from reddwarf.co.uk)
Latest updates on the forthcoming Red Dwarf: Back to Earth DVD. Love that screen-faithful packaging. The addition of Making Of: Part Two is also great news as the first was a tad lacking.

Tony Scott Confirms Carl Rinsch is Directing New Alien Movie. And it’s a PREQUEL! by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub
(from Collider.com)
Both exciting and very... suspicious...

And don't miss the announcements of new Monkey Island games here.